Stitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

    Puja Tripuraneni

Imagine Winnie the Pooh. Now imagine Stitch from the beloved Disney film Lilo & Stitch. Now imagine warm peppermint mochas, Christmas lights, and the biggest smile that can fit on a human face. Using the power of your imagination, somehow combine all of those lovely things into one and morph that thing into a person. That’s as close as you can get to encapsulating Puja Tripuraneni. Freshmen, you’ve found a treasure! Puja’s strengths include slaying with any number of Indian dance groups, caring for those around her with the strength of a million suns, and making friends with…probably everyone on campus. You can find her working at super important science labs to eradicate world sadness, volunteering at Global Brigades or Camp Kesem like the pure, kindhearted soul she is, or jetting off to grace some far-flung friends with her presence. Hit her up for sage advice, or for a singular type of goofy, carefree fun that only she can provide. Puja is sure to be an even better friend to all new students than she will be an advisor—and that’s saying a lot!

Elizabeth Weeks

Morticia Addams meets Disney princess? Seems impossible, but Elizabeth Weeks takes that word as a personal challenge. This Snow White of the South is a Biochemistry and Religion double major originally from Portland, Oregon. She can be found in the dark recesses of Fondy 4th, poring over obscure witchcraft texts and mastering all types of voodoo chemistry. Whether you need help perfecting a paper, learning Spanish, or decrypting a chemistry problem, this Head Martel Mentor is always there to help. As a dedicated Rice EMT, you can count on her to save your life both on and off the volleyball court. This Lord of the Rings and Star Trek fanatic can also be spied schooling med students in the emergency rooms of more than one local hospital. You might be intimidated by her wicked sharp wit or her tendency to wear black, but don’t worry – the future Dr. Liz has a heart of goo that can be won over with See’s Candy and hot chocolate.

Errol Jordheim

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words, but they didn’t account for two of those words being “Errol Jordheim.” You need a sub for your floor’s pullup competition? He’s your man. Need someone to talk to about this weird article you read yesterday? Ask Errol; he’s been reading about it since this morning.  Your bike’s broken? Say no more; after all, this is a guy who quite literally decorates his walls with spare parts. Although you can’t know exactly where Errol is without observing him, it’s safe to say he’s in one of four states: biking, building, physics, Dark Souls. Contrary to popular belief, Errol is actually not the college president, but that doesn’t stop him from being Martel’s MVP. From improvements to socials to advising, this over-achieving madman has his hand in just about every event at Martel. So sit back, relax, and grab your helmets, folks, cause Errol’s about to take you for the ride of your lives.

Bowie Lin

Bowie (pronounced BO-WEE) Robert Lin needs no introduction upon walking into a room, for he can often be recognized by his razor sharp jawline that is supposedly capable of cutting cheese and incredibly voluminous hair that combats the flow of the ocean. He is majoring in Cognitive Sciences and minoring in Business at Rice. In his free time, he likes to eat, play the violin, play with animals (his spirit animal is a sloth), watch movies, and tell unnecessarily descriptive stories about his generally mundane adventures. If you happen to miss a recounting of one of his many narrations, never fear! His personal online blog, dating under one year old, will feature his worthiest and most dramatic experiences. He also loves traveling and frankly, owns one too many obnoxious cruise shirts.  He is a member of the Rice Campanile orchestra, Rice Bhangra dance team, and mariachi! Despite all his talents, however, Bowie is incredibly humble and would never brag about himself.  However, his friends describe him as funny, nice, fabulous, and apparently, extremely sassy, although it takes some time to unleash that. Get to know him and he may crack you up with his sarcastic humor!

Colin Nyhus

How does one even begin to describe Colin Nyhus? He’s a modern Renaissance man of sorts. When he’s not busy killing it as a mechanical engineering major, you can find Colin putting in work at the gym or watching Being Mary Jane on Netflix. Colin is passionate about music, more specifically rap and R&B (think Future and 21 Savage). When he’s not listening to Frank Ocean’s channel ORANGE album for the millionth time, you might find him brushing up on his jazz trumpet skills (classy, I know!). This sneaker-head can talk about the latest Yeezys and Nike Jordans for hours on end (I’m speaking from experience), so if you ever need help with your shoe game, he’s your man. Beyond shoes and music, Colin is genuinely one of the most empathetic and understanding people you’ll meet during your time at Rice. Whether you go to him to talk about social justice issues, what’s going on in your life, or even the weather, Colin is guaranteed to make you feel at home. He’s an incredible listener, an even better friend, and very excited to meet you this O-Week!